SSRA enjoys big weekend

Spokane Ski Racing Association (SSRA) members had a medal haul at last weekend’s Junior Olympic qualifying event at Mount Spokane.

Michael Estrella (giant slalom and slalom) and Elyse Burandt (slalom) each took home gold. Burandt also took second in the giant slalom and third in another slalom race.

Nic Dixon was second in the giant slalom and finished third in the slalom.

Others with top-20 finishes included Conner Peck, SSRA (eighth in giant slalom); Kenny Collins, Schweitzer Alpine Racing School (11th, slalom); Berkeley Guenzel, SSRA (14th, giant slalom); Adrian Markewych, SSRA (18th, giant slalom).

The Western Region Junior Olympics will be held March 14-18 at Big Sky in Montana.

Bowling

Scores were low but the drama wasn’t in the Junior Bowlers Tour stop at Cheney Bowl on Jan. 15.

Cody Hurley bowled an 844 to move from 12th to second for the rolloff. He beat Ryan Harris for the right to take on Ryan Gately, who made the top spot in the rolloff with a strong performance (929) in match play.

Hurley and Gately both rolled 173s in the first match, which forced another game for the title.

This time Hurley won easily, 193-165.

Kolette Foster posted the high score for girls with a 224. Harris rolled a 276 for high honors.

The next JBT is Feb. 12 at Sunset Lanes.

College scene

Five athletes with area ties are among 41 Idaho Vandals who were named to fall All-Academic teams by the Western Athletic Conference. All five are WAC All-Academic repeaters.

Among qualifications are at least a 3.0 grade-point average for one academic year and participation in at least 50 percent of their team’s competitions.

Area athletes honored by sport:

Women’s cross country – Julia Veseth, senior, Moscow, Idaho.

Soccer – Chelsie Breen, sophomore, Cheney; Erica Hart, junior, Gonzaga Prep; and Lauren Layton, junior, Mead.

Volleyball – Allison Walker, sophomore, Othello.

Rowing

The Spokane River Rowing Association closed out its season with the 1,000-meter Frostbite Regatta, hosted by Green Lake Crew, and the 5,000-meter Head of the Lake Regatta, hosted by the Lake Washington Rowing Club.

The SRRA’s 4+ women’s masters and 8 mixed masters placed first at the Frostbite Regatta, while the 4+ men’s masters placed third.

The 8 mixed masters placed second at the Head of the Lake Regatta.

The team is coached by Mark Voorhees. Brandan Borgias, Brad Clemetson, Pam Cobb, Hannah Driscoll, Lisa Galow, Joe Gasperi, Joel Hernandez, Amanda Kyle, Audrey Minton, Cindy Shirts and Mark Springer represented the traveling team.

Volleyball

Colorado State transfer Katie Rutherford will join the Gonzaga volleyball team.

The 6-foot-1 setter will enroll in the spring semester.

Rutherford was a redshirt freshman with the Rams this past fall and she will have three years of eligibility remaining.